The Final Overture
by Takhisis Abolesco
Summary: [Squall & Rinoa] A Timeless love... An everlasting devotion... Set in a somewhat alternate reality world that tells of the fantasy's twisted ending. Rated M for 'just in case' violence.
1. Prologue: A Legacy Is Born

**Disclaimer**: All characters and settings belong to Square-Enix. I am in no way affiliated with Square, so please just read and enjoy.

**Disclaimer II:** The bolded-italicized words within the story text are taken from a personal poem called, Hymn of Defeat. I own these words, and they should be in no way moved, edited, or linked to or from this story.

**Warning**: Violence, gore, and other suggestive themes.

**Updating Policy: **I do not update according to the amount of reviews, I prefer to update by the amount of hits my chapters receive. 100 hits on the latest chapter will prompt an update. If there are reviews demanding an update, I will do my best to oblige.

**Long Summary:** The Final Overture, previously named Rose of Blood, is set in two different times. It focuses on an adventure the FFVIII gang gets thrust into, revolving around a sword wielding Rinoa and a bloodthirsty dream. This is mainly a love story between Squall and Rinoa, but does tend to get gruesome in description. It's a dark fiction, with a valiant attempt at humor, and is known to become obscure and fetish-y at times.

**If you have any questions**, please don't hesitate to ask. At times things get very tangled up, and sometimes it's hard to know what's going on.

* * *

The Final Overture

Prologue : A Legacy Is Born

* * *

In the darkness a lone woman stands facing the winds. The steady rain and mist of the ocean blur her vision. She inhales the cool, fresh, sea breeze and looks toward the sky. The moon, partly hidden by the passing clouds, lights a golden gem-like trail to the woman. As her lungs fill with air, she lifts her arms above her head and drops to the ground. A flash of lightning bores down through the ocean in the distance, briefly illuminating the earth beneath. The woman's eyes drift upward to catch the end of the bolt and the shimmering water. Her hands linger on her chest and she tugs at the chain around her neck. Lifting the chain to her face, she gazes into the platinum emblem. A weak smile plays on her face and a sigh escapes her lips. She turns away and unclasps the chain, setting it on the sand.

'So fragile.'

"But I'm strong! You gave me the strength I needed to live, my love."

'Yes, yes… but here we are again… waiting.'

"Do not worry my love, we won't have to wait any longer. This will work, I swear on my love for you."

'It's almost time, please make yourself ready. Oh please hurry!'

"Yes, yes… my love"

The woman rises to face the roaring sea; hair whips around her neck and face. With one last glance to the lovely necklace, she walks toward the ocean. Without hesitation she wades into the frigid waters up to her waist. The water beats against her stomach and breasts, constricting her breathing. Placing her fingertips into the salty water, she feels the freeze climb up her arms.

"Once more my love, we shall be joined..."

She then continues her voyage outward into the black wraith waves. No fear shows in her brown orbs, only longing. Tiny rivulets of tears flow down her cheeks and into the darkness.

As the ocean engulfs her, the whipping winds become sluggish and sparse, letting the moon's rays penetrate the once inaccessible far reaches of the ocean floor, guiding the woman to her fate.

A sudden shift in the wind current blows the broken blanket of clouds in a swirl around the moon. One final shock of lightning strikes the sea, turning it deep red for a split second. The swirling clouds and gusty winds drag the straggling bolts into their vortex. Lightning zips around the whirlpool in the sky. A deafening howl streaks the night air.

In the distance one word dissipates into the air.

'Eternity…'

With swiftness, the vortex funnels itself and shoots downward. The twisting mass absorbs into the rose. All sound is taken from the night, and the beach becomes still. The air breathes itself out, and a pale pink-blue light appears on the horizon.

The seas calm, as does the wind. The moonless sky softly hums with morning gulls, and the sun fails not to grace the blue with light. Her majesty Karma embeds herself inside her carrier. And so the ages pass onward.


	2. Familiar Encounters

* * *

Chapter One: Familiar Encounters

* * *

"Rinoa get up! You're going to be late!" An annoyed woman's voice called from down a flight of stairs. The sound echoed through the wooden home and seemed to be answered by a wail of cries from a small child. "Alright, okay Jeremiah, mommy's cumin. Don't cry those tears baby, food is on the way… Rinoa hurry up!" The woman glided over to her hungry baby and began to feed it. For the moment, the wailing had quieted.

As her mother's pleas reached her ears, Rinoa flopped on her side and slid off the bed into a heap on the floor. She groaned, and sluggishly picked herself. _Hurry up, Rinoa! Don't be late, Rinoa! I'm the keeper of your soul, Rinoa! _She sighed, a way of admitting her own defeat, and took a scan of her bedroom. _Crap… _Her drawers were gushing with garments, her floor was laden with books, and somehow her nightstand had toppled over. Rinoa bent down to her drawer and plucked a pair of pants from the tightly packed space. The garment was wrinkled; she brought it to her nose. _Hmm… not too bad, this'll do. _With ease, her bedclothes where torn away, clean undergarments were put on, the pants flung over her legs and a tight fitting tank top over her head. Rinoa glanced at the mirror leaning almost over itself on the wall, straightened the folds in the pants as much she could, and grabbed her necklace.

"I am sorry mom, it won't happen again," Rinoa said in a hollow tone. She hoped her mother would accept is as truth. She slithered through the door after kissing her brother and mother goodbye for the day.

Her mother just nodded and continued to feed her son. She talked quietly to the small child. "I know, she is getting worse. But we still love her, don't we cutie?"

Rinoa ran down the small dirt path leading to the chocobo stalls and mounted her rare black female, Glint. She and Glint made their way to the forest's edge and headed in the direction of Timber. Her cottage was not far from real civilization; it was situated deep in the woods between Dollet and Timber. Rinoa and her stepmother had moved there after the accident that took Julia's life. Caraway had remarried and become bitter toward his daughter, and long nights of drinking would usually accompany harsh treatment for Rinoa. It didn't matter, Julia had always said that Deling City was no place to raise a family, too dirty, and Rita believed this also.

The 7-mile trip took hardly any time; Glint made easy work of any obstructions. The bustling Town Square proved the more difficult maneuver. Rinoa had intended not to kill anyone today, and just the falling foot of Glint could gut a close passerby.

Timber, home of the Forest Owls, Rinoa's refuge away from home. It was rather early in the day, even considering her tardiness at breakfast, it was nearly eleven, but the walkways were more full now than during the five PM rush hour after work. Rinoa entered via train station, albeit on foot, and was just drifting off when Glint warked in surprise.

To the left, the sales man, Marc, greeted her with a holler, "Ah Miss Rinoa! You're late, but no worries, I saved your usual order." He tried to weave through a densely packed crowd of early risers, just as Rinoa reached him. "Come on girl, to the back! Timothy, Take the desk for a minute will ya!" Marc grabbed Glint's reigns and brought Rinoa around to the back of his small shop next to the train station.

"Oh Marc, you're so kind, you really didn't need to do this for me." Rinoa Jumped down from Glint and clapped her hand over his, giving him a sincere smile. Marc, blushing slightly, grabbed a bag, which was no doubt her usual order, and handed it to her.

"Miss Rinoa would you think any less of me if I said that you are so predictable?" He paused for a second, "You know you are my favorite customer."

"Marc you are a very good person, thank you. Now get out there and help Thomas! He's probably on the ground cowering in the corner, away from all the scary customers."

"I bet he is…" Marc said with a sigh. Rinoa and Marc both let out a tiny giggle. Thomas was the new apprentice to Marc; it was only natural for him to be a bit shy. Marc said his good-byes and rushed back to the front store. Alone, Rinoa mounted Glint and tied her mother's grocery order to the holster around his middle. Once out, she headed to the neighboring Pet Shop.

"Getting closer, Rinoa, you'll have a dog soon." Rinoa spoke to herself, humoring Glint in the process, who seemed to understand and nodded. Rinoa laughed and pet him. The owner of this shop was always difficult to find. The crazed old woman was always hobbling around looking to make a few extra bucks; Rinoa shuddered to think how.

"Excuse me? Ma'am may I have some help?" Rinoa leaned into the window, the noise around her was horrible, not to mention the train leaving station. "Excuse-".

"Hold you're chocobos, I'll be right there!" Rinoa slid off of Glint again, and the old woman came out. Rinoa swore that she owned at least 12 cats, she looked like one of those types, couldn't afford real food, never had time to wash, hid herself in the house too much, yeah, the woman was terrifying!

"Uh, I'd like a dog training magazine, please." The woman handed her issue 1 of the guide on dogs and shooed her off after taking a couple hundred Gill. She was expensive, but Rinoa was determined to teach her dog right.

Just when the crowds began thinning a man stepped squarely into Glint's path and fell over. Rinoa rushed to help him up.

"Oh I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

"Ri… Rin… Rinoa… here! Take this!" The guy ran off after practically throwing a bottle of blue liquid at her face. It was something she'd never seen before, but pocketed it after shrugging. She had to leave now, and was already late for her next appointment.

Rinoa rode to the Pub in search of a particular friend she was seeing to discuss plans with. Selphie, she supposed was hiding on her, something she did on occasion. Rinoa heaved a sign and squeezed through a small alley into the open air of the town. Finally spotting what she was searching for, she whistled with her fingers and waved her arms wide.

"Selphie, over here!" Rinoa shouted still wildly waving her arms. Two other men stood around her. Rinoa gasped in excitement and started toward them.

Seeing Rinoa, Selphie gave a wave in return and pushed through the people to reach her friend. From atop Glint, the scene was quite humorous. People's arms flailed, shouts were aimed at the poor girl, and the two others around her only laughed as they too were bombarded. Rinoa swore that Selphie had gotten at least three elbows to the face. A quiet chuckle shook her.

"Rin, I've been looking for you for over an hour, where have you been?"

"I got up late… again… Zone, Watts!" Rinoa leapt off Glint into both their awaiting arms. "I've missed you, how was the trip to Balamb – hold on…" Rinoa pushed and pulled her friends away from the center of the crowd. "There, now, tell me details!"

"Oh, nothing special," Zone began, "just a lot of fighting. I definitely don't want to be a Seed under them though. I'll stick with a magazine sales- Uuuooh…" Zone hunched over in pain.

"He's been eating a lot of bacon lately." Watts leaned into Rinoa so only she could hear, "It's either that or menstrual cramps, he has been rather bitchy lately." Zone moaned his disapproval, getting wind of his secret. "Yeah, I'll definitely be transferring to Galbadia Garden when my semester's pay goes through, that place is run by a mad man, I swear! There's also this bastard of a commander there, fucking hates everyone, I think. Oh yeah, and don't forget the wind bag headmaster, fuck, he could go on for hours, fancying the mission up, just give it to me straight doc!" Watts and Rinoa laughed; Selphie folded her arms in disgust.

"That's why I go to Trabia. You'll never find a nicer bunch!" Selphie chirped in.

"I ain't looking for nice, I'm looking for weapon mastery here. Galbadia is probably the best suited for me. Yeah sorry Rin, I know you hate it there 'cause you're father and all, but honestly, it does have the best spy opts program around. And I mean, other than that, there isn't all that fucking drama that Balamb has, like I said… seems like it's funded and ran by a psycho."

"Helllloooo! We have to go now, Rinoa. You gave me a time, I worked around it, I have to be somewhere in an hour, we gotta run!" Selphie tore Rinoa and Glint away, they both waved goodbye to their friends.

"You were late because of Marc, weren't you? You and him are what, lovers now?" A crooked smile painted itself onto Selphie's face and she tilted her head up to look at Rinoa's expression.

"Selphie, he's not my lover, he's my grocer! No way! He's almost thirty years older than I am, and he's married! You know how wrong that would be? It's like you dating your father… you know… without the incest…" Rinoa gestured for Selphie to get on Glint so they could get on with the day.

"Whatever you say Rin - your grocer. This type of denial usually ends in death; I am just worried for you that's all. It's not every day that my best friend gets rejected by a forty-seven year old, married, grocer."

"What! I was not rejected," Rinoa out her arm down as Selphie grabbed hod and climbed up. Glint began moving steadily, and Rinoa gave her a little encouragement. "I don't even like him that way, Selph. He's, well, he's Marc. I am not interested."

"Okay Rin, I'll make sure to keep an eye on you at all times so you won't get the chance to do anything stupid and get yourself killed…err something."

Glint picked up the pace from an excruciatingly slow canter to an almost passable gallop. Selphie tightened her grip around Rinoa's waist to keep from falling off as she bounced about behind. Rinoa glanced back at her and gave her the biggest, evilest smile she could manage. She then faced forward and gave Glint a kick in her side to speed her into a fully-fledged gallop. The sudden jolt almost kicked Selphie backward. She screamed in short bursts and locked her fingers in place as she bounced all over the back end of Glint.

"How's this Selph? Do you like it? It's not too stupid for me to do is it? 'Cause I may kill myself… but then again at least I won't be alone!" Rinoa yelled in excitement rushing Glint harder. The chocobo jumped over a small shrub and warked wildly.

"Rinoa, you are going to die! If this doesn't kill us - I will personally take you down!" Selphie shifted herself to get better fitted on the barebacked animal. The movement almost sent her into a tumble.

The girl's eyes both began to water due to the high speed of the gallop. Their arms started to tire from the strain of trying to keep vertical. The chocobo, on the other hand, was focused and not the least bit tired. She sped onward to the fields behind the town. From the fields, she galloped onto the beach. The tall weeds ended abruptly as she entered the sandy shallows.

"Glint, you're a good girl! You can slow down now," Rinoa soothed. Glint immediately slowed to a trot and then to a sluggish walk. "Good girl."

"Oh my Hyne, Rin, are you as psycho as I said you were? If that's the case I better come clean before things get out of control." Selphie pulled Rinoa's hair from her vision. "Okay… I WAS JOKING! You really don't have to be a crazy psycho ass if you aren't. Let me say this too, YOU ARE NOT A MANIAC! Please chant that for me," Selphie stated a little out of breath, but as loud as possible.

"Selph, calm down. I knew exactly what I was doing. I ride every day, it's not such an act of insanity as you said it is," Rinoa giggled.

"Yeah well, no! You do that all the time? Bareback even! I can't imagine your mother letting you get away with that."

"Well, now that you bring it up. You are right; it was my first time bareback. I did pretty good eh?" Rinoa laughed and elbowed Selphie in the side.

"You are insane! Your first time bareback, galloping, and you had a passenger too. Next time you decide to challenge the fates… leave me to walk," said Selphie in a rushed and high-pitched tone. She dismounted Glint and gave a pat on his head, "Glint, you're just as crazy as she is." She gave a lengthened sigh and extended her hand to Rinoa. Rinoa accepted the help and gracefully slid off the black feathered animal. As she glided down, her long black hair unfolded to its ends and made her look as if she were flying. With eyes darker than the blackest night she took wing into the field. Her flight was cut short as her feet met with the ground.

"You know," Selphie reminisced, "I love coming here. I could never tire of it. What a lovely day," Selphie walked closer to the ocean and lay down. Glint followed slowly taking in the fresh air and refreshing ocean spray.

"It is a lovely day," Rinoa whispered as she too breathed the clear air and plopped herself down next to Selphie.

"Nothing could go wrong today."

"Selph, you say that every time we come here."

"I know, hasn't failed yet," Selphie said with a relaxed tone, "So what is it now? Why have you requested we meet here, I hope it's nothing to spoil this perfect day."

"Well, let me be plain. It happened again," Rinoa said flatly. For a short while a silence rang loudly. Selphie sat with her head cocked and brow raised, waiting for Rinoa to continue. After a few moments she broke down and spoke.

"It? Oh yes, it. Once more please enlighten me on what this 'it' is."

"My visions!" Rinoa said, almost annoyed. "I had another one. This one was extremely vivid. It was like I was living it. Wonderfully terrifying."


	3. Awakening

* * *

Chapter Two: Awakening

* * *

Rinoa took a minute to compose herself and figure out what she was to say. A million thoughts flew through her brain; unable to decide on a starting path she said the first thing that sounded logical. "Selph, either I'm crazy or a genius. I think I'll let you decide. I know you have some demented fixation with my well being… so yeah, you decide. All right, here's the dream…" a pause, "My real mother visited me again, but this time in an actual form. I saw my mother. She… she was blurred though, kind of blotched in places. Her face was a streaked mess, but her eyes… they were crystal clear. When she spoke her body would flicker a little in the dim light. She had this reddish aura around her. I think she was trying to…"

Her sentence was cut off by a very confused Selphie, "Rin, how can you be sure it was your mother? I mean, really, you have never even seen her." A perplexed expression crossed her face.

"I don't know. Her eyes… we had the same eyes. It's just a hunch; a very vague hunch not even backed up by tangible evidence. You're just going to have to trust me here..."

"I'll try, but my suspicions are leading me into thinking that this whole sane/insane deal is a dead give away, Rin. Just go on, I'm with you all the way. This could be the most hysterical thing ever to happen to you, I'm definitely in!"

"Thanks, I've always wanted to be labeled mad when I was 17 years old. If I was 60… then maybe I'd accept it, but then I really wouldn't know the difference anyway. It's kind of a lose-lose situation; that's why I can always count on you. Never any questions, whatever Selphie Tilmitt says must be truth." With that, Rinoa pulled Selphie down to look up at the clouds as she told the rest of her tale.

"As she spoke the red aura would flare up. I won't ever forget what she told me:

…_**when tides do come and the crimson flow of blood swallows us,**_

_**and a blanket of ash shrouds the land,**_

_**and the living and dead are no longer separated by soul,**_

_**a rose will bloom…**_

"She just faded into blackness after. I woke up then in my room." Rinoa calmly folded her hands and looked into the ocean of sky.

"Doesn't that make you feel a little worried? You know, with that whole death, blood, and ash thing?" Selphie nudged Rinoa's side as she spoke on, "Rin, would you tell me what it means please?"

"I wish I knew. I just wish I knew," her voice softened and lowered as she watched the puffy white clouds as they floated by in the breeze. A silence enveloped them, until Selphie spoke, tired of the awkward silence she experienced.

"How on earth did you remember all that? It doesn't even rhyme or anything."

"Selph, I think you've missed the point," Rinoa said a bit irritated.

"No, no, I think I know the point. You - are - insa…" Before Selphie could finish her sentence, she was hit over the stomach with a flimsy wrist.

"Hey, that hurt!"

"Wimp, I barely touched you. Anyway, you deserved it," stated Rinoa with a pout. She and Selphie started to play fight in the field. They rolled around and got pretty dirtied up. Both stuck in a stalemate, a blast rang out from the direction of the forest.

"…Huh…?"

A wall of light seemed to swallow up the entire area and blaze the blue skies. Following the light out, a shock wave rumbled and rippled outward to the ocean, making the air vibrate.

"…The Hell…!"

Rinoa and Selphie both stumbled upwards hanging onto each other in a standing position. Trying to break free of Rinoa's grasp, Selphie made an attempt to reach Glint. With the after shock of the shaking ground, she tumbled down tripping Rinoa.

"Oh come on!" Rinoa yelled at Selphie, as she hoisted her up. Finally reaching the petrified Glint, Rinoa nimbly jumped onto its back, waiting for Selphie to join her.

"Rinoa, when have you ever known me to be able to do something like that? It's practically impossible!" Selphie put her arms over her head and grabbed her friend's hand as she was helped onto the back of the chocobo. With a kick in the side, Glint galloped off heading back for Rinoa's home.

"Great, not this again, I need to find the damned brakes!"

If Glint had rode fast and hard the first time the girls set out that day, this ride would have eclipsed it completely over. As Glint roared onward, an unsettling fog thinly blanketed itself around them, diminishing their view. Not being able to see, Rinoa tugged the speeding chocobo to a trot, as Selphie attempted, without success, to blow the murkiness away.

"Selph, would you stop that, it's not doing a fucking thing…."

"It's not like it's hurting anyone, Rin." Selphie's mouth shut and her head rested on Rinoa's back. She could feel every breath, even the slight wheezing of the chocobo. This made her a little uncomfortable; she raised her head, and looked into the haze of gray.

"Do you hear anything?" Rinoa whispered, calmly as she could.

"Yeah... I hear you and Glint… how about you?" _Please say no… please say no… _Selphie hoped Rinoa didn't hear anything she didn't. In the unnatural fog, her mind wandered, and the thought of her friend being able to pick some unheard noise out of a complete silence frightened her.

"I hear… uh… something." Rinoa turned around to face Selphie and whispered into her ear softly, "I think I smell blood." Rinoa pulled Glint to a stop and slid off.

"Rin, mmn," Selphie whimpered in a lowered voice. She attempted to slide off Glint as Rinoa had done, but found herself unable to move; she too smelled the lingering, ominous, scent of blood – the scent of death. The stench was intense, charred flesh and an irony aroma stung at her throat and nose. Her stomach felt like a bubbling cauldron, and it took much effort to keep her breakfast from saying hello again.

"Stay quiet, let's not impose on whatever it might be that I'm hearing."

"Ok," was all Selphie could get out before she had to swallow the bile that rose in her throat.

Selphie reluctantly, glided off of Glint and joined her Rinoa's side. They quietly made their way into the nearby forest and merged with the gravel trail. Little light shown through the thick dew and treetops. They traveled in silence, wary of the danger that could present itself at anytime. Even Glint managed to slow herself enough to make the loud hollow clops ebb. The quietness was almost painful; pounding nothingness filled their heads. The fallen leaves and needles did not crunch, nor did they rustle with any passing breeze. All sound seemed to be absorbed before it could perform its duty. Selphie was the first, as always, to break the agonizing silence.

"Rin," Selphie hissed hastily, "This is taking way too long." A shudder ran down Selphie's back and she looked over to Rinoa for support.

"Hush up now, you're just anxious. I, myself, am a little jumpy too, but that might also have to do with the fact that we are traveling through a soundless, misty, eerie wooded trail. That's all, now quiet we'll be in the open soon."

"Oh so now the Great Rin is scared, and I thought…"

"Close up, before I go insane on your ass," Rinoa yelled in a whisper that hurt her throat.

"I was just trying to comfort…"

"Selph, did you hear that?" Rinoa shot a glare into the awaiting mist. She grabbed Selphie's shoulder and gave her the index finger to the lips gesture, indicating that there was to be no more dialogue. _Good, that will shut you up for a bit – well, until you realize that I was faking you out…_


	4. Blood And Roses

* * *

Chapter Three: Blood and Roses

* * *

They came upon Rinoa's home and just as Glint began to slow down, Rinoa leaped off and crashed through her front door. Her eyes darted from left to right, and seeing nothing but rubble, she ran around the corner and up the stairs to the nursery. Carefully opening the door, she braced herself for what she might find.

There were two stiff forms silently peaceful. Her breath caught in her throat for a second before the stepped into the room. Rinoa approached the woman in a chair, her mother. She was sitting with an elbow propped up against the sill of a window, her head bowed and legs in a very twisted fashion, obviously broken.

"Mom…?" Rinoa inched her way across the carpet and nudged the frail woman's shoulder. Her hand dove through soggy flesh into her mother's breast. The dead woman's head smacked into the window leaving dull red and pink chunks on the glass as her body crumpled to the floor. The debilitated heap seemed to sink into the floor planks, it dripped and oozed, bone prodded the flesh then tore through easily. The thump was thick and heavy. Rinoa gasped and recoiled her hand, placing the other over her nose and mouth. She stood for a second, starring at her own hand, watching the mess slide down her fingers and splatter on the floor. Her head spun wildly, and her stomach reeled.

"Oh no…" Her gaze drifted to a baby in a crib. Knowing that he did not survive the blast, she took one more look into his innocent face, letting the peaceful scene of a sleeping baby boy embed itself into her heart. She turned to leave the house.

Rinoa sat on the floor, and gazed out the smeared window. _What happened, what the HELL? What did this? I…I don't understand. Oh Hyne, oh please._ Rinoa turned over and picked herself up. She wavered to the door.

Deep within her skull a pounding sensation began, and with it, words from a vision… one she had willed her mind to forget. Yet here she was now, living the dream – remembering that which she believed dead…

**…_a hollow echo_**

_**of hymns sung past**_

_**the empty voices**_

_**this distant and forgotten plane**_

_**far from the place I once called**_

_**My home**_

_**My security**_

_**flung into the night air…**_

Rinoa quivered, her eyes stung as tears emerged. _Mom, why? What's wrong? What did this, shit! _Rinoa clutched her chest, blocking the scene of horror from her mind. She shook once more before exiting the room of her past life.

When she reached the door she saw a sparkle out of the corner of her eye coming from her mother's bedroom that she could previously not see. It was a sword. A little flustered, Rinoa cautiously picked up the weapon, almost falling forward from its weight. She backed out into the light.

A note was attached at the pommel:

"Dear Rinoa,

I was going to wait until your birthday to give you this, but you're starting at Galbadia soon… so, here.

I Love You, Mom.

P.S. Clean your room!"

Rinoa broke into sobs, and minutes passed before she could look at the weapon.

"You gave this to me, mom? Shit…"

The hilt was leather-bound and capped with a platinum disc. Platinum weave was sewn into the leather, making spaces for fingers. The blade too was made of Platinum, as far as Rinoa could tell. She ran her fingers over the weave; it was cool, yet a fiery and loving surge melted into her hands. The platinum darkened in some areas looking black. In fact the entire guard was black platinum. The weapon was strengthened by magic; Rinoa could feel the power pulse through her veins when she had first picked it up. Staggered grooves were engraved into the very wide blade, lightening the sword. Rinoa's mind raced back to the vision of her mother as she read what was swirling around at the end of the blade. The word 'ROSE' was engraved into it. Inside the engraving was what looked to be swirling red liquid. Curious, Rinoa put down the weapon at touched the engraving. When she pulled out, her fingers were tipped with blood. _What is this…?_

"Rin… I'm sorry… what the Hell," Selphie said in shock as she stepped into the room and saw Rinoa there with a sword that must have been over five feet in length. She walked over to Rinoa and hurriedly blurted out nonsense words.

"Hey shut up! Talk slower, it's not like I'm going to kill you to get the answers out."

"What the Hell… Hmm… never mind."

"Selph… it says rose…"

"Rinoa… I'm sorry…"

"I know…" Rinoa swore to herself that she would not cry, her crying was done, she was now on a mission where her emotions could not get in her way. Rinoa came close to Selphie and squeezed her tightly. Selphie wept, burrowing her chin into Rinoa's shoulder, clutching onto her back for dear life. "I just want this to be one of my mad ravings… I'd rather be schizophrenic. This must be a dream," Rinoa squeezed Selphie once more, very tightly, before she let go and focused her thoughts onto the sword.

She reached out and touched the grip, feeling the magic surge through her veins again. She grasped the grip with both of her hands, and lifted the full weight of the sword off the floor. To her surprise it seemed lighter than before. She easily swung it in an arc and back to the center. Selphie watched in awe as Rinoa fluidly swung the sword around, marveling at her grace. Selphie sniffled and wiped the snot from her nose.

"It's so light, here Selph, hold it." Rinoa passed the sword one handed off to Selphie, who proceeded to fall forward onto her knees.

"Light! The damned thing weighs a ton! Don't be stupid with it. I do wish to keep all my limbs thank you very much." She picked herself off the floor and not trusting herself, let Rinoa pick up the massive weapon. As she dusted herself off a little she saw a small scabbard. She pointed to the leather-bound casing.

"What? Oh, the scabbard, it's so… small." Rinoa bent down and took hold of the scabbard, eyeing it. "I feel magic in it," Rinoa said as she brought it onto the sword's blade. In a split second the sword was inside.

"Whoa, please tell me you saw that," Selphie said anxiously.

"I wish other things were that easy…" She glanced back around the corner, turned, and left the house, Selphie in toe.

"It's awful, I can't express how I feel for you Rin," whispered Selphie, almost hoping Rinoa wouldn't hear it. She did hear it though, and sighed.

"Thanks…" _I have to get out of here, NOW!_ "Um, we'd better get the hell out of here. What if it hit Timber!"

The two girls ran down to the barn where the chocobos were housed, hoping to find some survivors. They were dismayed to discover only scattered fractions of limbs and feathers covering everything, and tiny bits of beak stuck in between. Disgusted, the distraught they mounted Glint who was patiently following them.

The long trek back to Timber was, from then on, soundless. The fog became sparse, and the forest brightened a bit, finally letting some reassurance settle upon the girls. With the unnatural mist almost completely spent, a chill sped through the trees, and a brightly burning light was spotted near the exit. In compete contradictory to before, the frozen wind was accompanied by the creak of the forest. Everything about it gave the impression of speaking until they made it into the field.

"Rinoa, I hear sound… I hear it, can you? Please say you can…" Selphie said almost too loud, but undoubtedly too happily for their current situation.

With a sigh of annoyance and relief Rinoa quietly barked, "Yes, I can, isn't helping much though, I still smell blood."

"But the sun is out, and the air is refreshing, and that light is so… well, it's bright. What the hell is it?" Selphie questionably looked to her companion for an answer.

"Please tell me that was rhetorical."

"Why? It's a perfectly legitimate question," Selphie's expression became pensive as she thought her words over once more, "right?"

"Sure." Rinoa said.

"I thought you might have seen it in a vision, you know, when you spontaneously go loco for about an hour, telling me these tales about the impossible… it's possible you know."

"Yeah well, no."

With heavy steps they hiked further finally entering Timber. The horror scene that lay before them traumatized them. Rinoa and Selphie hastily spied center of town, but found no trace of any enemy. Feeling the secure sense of being alone, they slowly made their first steps into the massacre. Taking Glint with a clap, they ventured out into the open.

The bodies were piled up against the nearby buildings, still frothing globs of blood. Other corpses lay impaled on the planks of the wooden shops where they had been blasted almost clear through. Viscera trails were dangling from the severed chests, smeared brains still slipped onto the red-sea gravel. Shrapnel covered most of the town, a few houses were standing… but no one was spared. Not women, children, men, or elders, none were strong enough to survive. For those whose faces remained, their expressions were inert, and melted into their last screams before the end came.

"Oh Hyne…" Was all that Rinoa could get out before she purged. This in turn, helped along Selphie's stomach as she followed, throwing up as well. Selphie collapsed into the pools of warm blood and half-digested food. She stayed on her hands and knees to help her circulation back into her ashen face, before she could pass out.

"Who… what… happened," Selphie spat out from the ground.

Rinoa helped her friend off the ground and gave her a tight hug, trying to suppress any tears that might be fighting to fall, and hiding her face if any were to escape. _What happened?_

"We need to go somewhere, anywhere! Someone needs to know about this! I don't think anyone lived…" Rinoa began breathing hard, she swore under her breath. "Deling. I hate the idea, but we should go to my father. He'll do something, of course that's if the damned town isn't flattened to oblivion."

There was no conversation as they started out. With everything that happened already, and the mess that needed to be cleaned up, along with the deaths of many close loved ones, no one really had anything to say. The girls settled their mind by the rhythmic chopping of Glints clawed feet, the most comforting sound to be heard.

The sun slowly descended, leaving only a gloomy, weak, orange glow that laced between the forest trees. The darkness was the purest darkness ever to be seen by human eyes. It was aided by the sorrow they felt for their hearts, and their hate of the guilty. Even though they were under a forest blanket, they were sure no moon or stars shone above, the carnage of the day fell upon the entire land.

Rinoa's mind raced angrily. _Mom. My baby brother. Zone…. Watts, Marc, shit, what the Hell happened? _

**…_hurried onward into the stone village_**

_**the dust**_

_**the decay**_

_**I, this helpless soul**_

_**this lost cause**_

_**yet I trudged on still**_

_**following the orb of flame**_

_**the beacon of hope I had**_

_**to the edge of**_

_**a floating wasteland**_

_**gravel chips, a torn**_

_**civilization…**_

That night, they slept; hungry, hollow, and with no fire, only the warmth of Glint and each other.


	5. Tomorrow's Yesterday

* * *

Chapter Four: Tomorrow's Yesterday

* * *

"It's all so real to me, Squall. Like I've created my very own reality… But it's all in my head. I swear my dreams are trying to tell me something – something important." Rinoa seemed in more distress than Squall had ever seen her, even after multiple times of rescuing her from certain peril.

"Sometimes dreams seem real. Your mind has a way of playing tricks, eyes are not the only gateways into deception." Squall shifted in the hard desk chair, his leg felt about ready to fall off.

"It's so… familiar? I don't now, de jà vu or something."

"Okay," His head lowered, angled, eyebrows furrowed, "It's a false memory. It never happened Rinoa, and if it did, you're thinking of something else. It can't be real, Timber isn't flattened! Do you doubt the dream at all?"

"Squall, haven't you been listen-…"

"Sorry, I meant, haven't you had a dream before, other than this one, that felt so real you woke up and swore you'd, oh I don't know, learn that technique you knew in your dream?"

"Erm… well once I dreamt that I had a jewelry box. My mother had given it to me just before the crash… and I put it away in storage…"

"And…? What did you do after waking up?"

"Of course I went rummaging through every storage box in the house… my father thought I had gone nuts when I told him about the dream. He said that my mother never owned anything like it… It wasn't until I found nothing that I half-heartedly believed he wasn't a liar…"

"You said half-heartedly, so you still believed there to be a box somewhere?"

"I don't know… It was a beautiful carved wooden box. The cover… there was an insignia – I don't know what – on the cover. It's so shady in my mind… but I still feel attached to it…"

"Well, really, Rinoa, I wouldn't think too much about it – It was probably just a false memory, or …just a dream."

"It's so real though – I swear it! I've lived that damn dream! My mother and I had been in a quarrel the entire day, bickering about the dishes or something nominal like that. She and Caraway had reservations for a dinner party but he had to leave earlier during the day… said he'd meet her there. Before she left she called me down… I was in tears. I asked her to forgive me for being a bad girl, that I would do the dishes and then clean anything she wanted, just as long as daddy wouldn't find out. Mom understood, and as a gift for apologizing… she gave me the box, told me to never forget it and use it often. I asked if it had been grandma's, she just said that it was from one of her older friends. That night she… she was hit. The car spun… she was ejected straight into a tree." Rinoa began to choke up at the memory, then shook her head and continued, "That can't be made up."

"I won't try and convince you otherwise…"

A silenced followed, Rinoa slowly began to sink into her thoughts, for the first time Squall was the one to take action. He stood up and walked over to Rinoa and sat on the bed next to her. His hand covered her hand, he felt a chill in the tight skin.

"Rinoa, you don't have to fight it, you know I'm here."

"I'm not going to cry anymore, if I keep shedding the tears, there won't be any left when it really counts."

"Like when you are engaged, when you marry, when you have your first child, things like that? Tears of joy?"

"Yeah Squall, when it matters most, I will be crying for the happiness in my life… right now, I can only think of her with sadness…"

"Just as long as you know I'll always be here."

"Even when I don't want you anywhere near me 'cause you're annoying?"

"Especially then!"

Rinoa laughed aloud and leaned her head on Squall's shoulder. His hand came up and stroked her head as he turned and planted a tiny kiss on her head. Soon he was embracing her fully, body turned to the side harshly, and squeezing her tightly.

"Squall, I'm fine. I'm okay!"

"I know… I just really needed to hug you…"

"Oh…" Rinoa, not at all offended, turned to face his side and began squeezing him around the neck, rocking slightly, and fingering his neck. They stayed like this for minutes, silently. Squall broke away first, and clumsily maneuvered himself to the floor. Rinoa starred on completely at a loss for words. Squall tripped a little on his pant leg and scoffed, Rinoa put her hand out for him. He situated himself and took her hand. _Well… the hand was to help you out… but okay, just hold it._

"Rin…?"

"hmm?"

"I accept." Squall squeezed her hand and stared into her eyes. A look of confusion scarred Rinoa's brow.

"I never asked you anything… Squall what's in you hea…"

"You never asked… but I accept."

"What?" Rinoa pouted, pushing her lower lip out.

"I graciously accept my knighthood."

"Oh yeah that… You didn't need to tell me you acce…" She smiled and almost jumped in excitement.

"Yes, I did. I wanted you to know that I, Squall Leonhart, pledge to be your loyal knight for all of eternity. I promise."

Rinoa giggled before answering in a forced serious tone, "And I, Rinoa Heartilly, will honor you forever… I promise." Rinoa giggled again, not realizing the severity of this union. Her mind was playing another game. She blocked the horrible scene of her mother's death out for a moment, and took in the scene before her. Squall was kneeling, his head was bowed, and his floppy hair was delicately hanging around his face.

Squall too, thought nothing of the moment's meaning, just the queen he had just sworn his soul to. His finger pulsed. He became warm inside, his blood swirled with vigor, with a carnal desire. His hair lifted away from his ears and danced in an invisible gust, the burning sensation in his chest grew. The shirt he wore tightened around his waist, flailing behind him.

Rinoa bowed down, eyes hidden, a tiny smile lifted the side of her face. Her hand's warmth fled from her, chilling her whole body. She felt the heat within Squall rise. In her triumph she bathed, not fully understanding her joy. Her icy hand touched his face, seeming to roll over his cheek. Squall's head twisted as he found Rinoa's eyes.

…_**a motionless pallet of**_

_**whirling loneliness**_

_**until the day fell and**_

_**blackness escorted me into an**_

_**even blacker forest…**_

Wind rushed into the room, bursting a flimsy window shutters. Rinoa and Squall registered nothing and time slowed.


	6. Derision and Savior

* * *

Chapter Five: Derision and Savior

* * *

The next three days came and passed without much falter. The sun rose, then by the powerful higher might, it fell as well. Within the first day's travel, the forest had dwindled to a few shrubs scattered here and there. The moist soil had become slightly parched and golden-green, and the cooling dew from the leaves had become a sweltering heat that permeated the air. The late afternoon shadows played together and chased one another until nightfall. As day began again, the light chased away the shadows in return, ruling over darkness one more.

Glint had been walked rider-less for miles to save her for any emergency. Her head was up and eyes always alert, even though the landscape revealed nothing but rolling dunes and mirages. She never lost sight of the goal, not even when they began to slow in pace. Glint had the clearest head in the group. The only thing this chocobo needed to know was; what direction she should be heading, and where the fields grew the greenest.

The girls however, were somewhat lacking in faith. They walked on either side of Glint with their eyes toward the ground; they absently moved their legs to go forward, almost identical in action. They were exhausted and equally dead to all that surrounded. Neither knew which way they were going, where they were, or if they had already passed that rolling hill more than once. Something though, which they could not place, drove them onward to a destination they had forgotten. Their eyes had glazed over and become smoggy. They went on in a straight line as the sun followed its own line.

In the sky the sphere of heat began to set, it filled the desolate plains with chilly night air. The girl's breath no longer came in haggard gasps that seemed to barely fill their lungs, but more like a refreshing drink. Still hot from the day, the sandy coarse grass kept their feet from freezing with the rest of their bodies. This luxury hardly lasted more than a couple hours, and soon they began to chill.

For the first time in three days the moon shone along with her sisters and brothers. Selphie looked toward the sky and marveled at its vastness. She wondered about what was beyond, if there really were gods, and what they might have planned for her. But she mostly just marveled at the magnificence of the moon. Higher thought at this time was almost impossible. _I bet my brain shrunk… _Selphie thought. A small sigh escaped her lips, the first human sound in three days. Not getting any response from the other side of the horse, she set her stare ahead. Her footing slipped a bit and she steadied herself, only to trip on her other foot. She was sent tumbling down a high slope.

A scream awakened Rinoa from her own current trance of the moon. Expecting to see Selphie running from a dune snake she opened her mouth and made ready to tease her. Instead, she turned to see no one at all. Panic stricken she stopped just at the apex of the hill and looked underneath Glint.

"Selph," her voice was hoarse but understandable. "Selph, Selph!" She screamed waiting for her friend to answer. Nothing came. She took a step forward. Before she could feel that her foot had hit no solid ground, she was pitched down the hill as well. She met the bottom with a splash.

Selphie was hit with an arm, then the other one, and then an entire body was atop her. She burst out in frenzied laughing fits and pushed at Rinoa. It was no use, her body was far too weak and laughing out of control wasn't helping. She then started to choke on the water where they had landed. Finding the strength, she heaved Rinoa into the water next to her. Her friend glanced over to her, shook her head, and turned away, finding it a little less funny. Selphie tried to stifle her laughter. Rinoa started to convulse without control. Selphie attempted without winning to maneuver herself up from the water. Rinoa jerked foreword, a quite unpleasant sound escaping her. Selphie flopped to the side.

"Rin, are you hurt?" The fun had just been taken out of the matter, she was now very concerned. She put her hand on Rinoa's shoulder. Rinoa slowly turned, her hand was over her mouth and her eyes were tightly shut. "Oh my gods, Rin you're hurt!" Selphie shifted herself to face Rinoa. Her eyes opened and her hand slowly went away from her mouth. She was smiling. Tears, or water, etched its way down her cheeks. The smile grew as she looked over at Selphie. Selphie thought Rinoa's lips were about to split their sides.

"If that wasn't… so damned funny Selph…" Rinoa choked and coughed, "I'd be so, so, very angry at you right now. If you'd had just answered me…" The rest of her sentence was washed over by her laughter.

"Well… _excuse_ me," Selphie began defensively, "if I was plummeting to my death and couldn't find my voice to reassure you that I was, in fact, dying! Even if I had called, you would have turned and fell anyway. So don't give me all that leader shit." Rinoa kept on laughing. "Would you look at yourself, you're such a girly girl missy, giggling away over there, while I freeze. You're hogging all the dry mud!"

Rinoa shot her hand out and grabbed Selphie by the collar and used her to push herself out of the water. Selphie splattered down into a thick pile of sludge. Rinoa's laughter had subsided, save for the occasional outbursts as she remembered the fall.

"Selph, this must look so bad. Two girls sitting in a mud puddle, and a chocobo, whom I might add was the only one to realize that there was a steep hill in the way. I can see it now, some really hot, really available, man witnessed the entire ordeal and now is waiting for us to get back to our chocobo so he can laugh at us." She snickered again.

There was a sudden silence. Rinoa coughed up a laugh once more.

"Did you know that that was really dumb? I mean, really, really, really, stupid! It had absolutely no humor in it at all. Total bullshit… I'm embarrassed and surprisingly, I feel _more_ stupid now that I've heard that. That was the saddest thing I've ever… endured!" Rinoa laughed louder.

"Oh come on, it was stupid! Stop!"

"I wasn't laughing at my lameness, although now that Captain Obvious brings it up… No. I was thinking of what I thought had happened to you."

"Care to let me in on the big secret?" Selphie was now a plainly annoyed.

"I pictured you running off away from a dune snake."

"Rinoa, that's worse than you little vision of a _man_. They aren't even poisonous."

"So? I've seen you run from a little mousy."

"It could have been carrying the plague!"

"Selph, it was my mother's pet, Derky."

"Yeah, you think just because it's named…"

Completely lost in their bickering, they didn't hear a voice from above. The man spoke again. This time he spoke louder.

"Excuse me ladies!"

Rinoa and Selphie both shocked glanced upwards, then back at each other. Rinoa just shrugged and called back to the man.

"Uh, hello."

"Yes, hello, would you like some help?"

Rinoa and Selphie looked back at each other then to the man. Selphie looked to the ground. In unison they said, "Nope!" They shared one final glance and both nodded before they started venture up the side.

"You're crazy…" Selphie's voice did not rise above a whisper.

"Genius."

A little confused, the man just stood there and watched the two women attempting to climb up the steep slope. He found it quite entertaining. Every time they would take a step the sand underneath their feet would shift and roll down, almost toppling them over. Once they re-found their footing they were further down the slope. Determined, as they were to get to the top, he couldn't help but chuckle a little at their situation.

He offered once more to assist the women, "Please let me help. If you'd just take my hand…"

"Sir, no thank you," again they yelled in unison.

The man grumbled, and headed down the slope to rescue them. He got to Selphie first and pulled her to her feet, then to Rinoa who shrugged him off. Seeing he was not wanted, he made his was back to the top with Selphie in hand. Rinoa followed in his footsteps only slipping once more. At the top the man bent to lend his hand to Rinoa, she took it.

With skilled swiftness the man was side kicked to the ground. Selphie tossed a dagger to Rinoa, who bowed down to the man's level and placed the dagger at his throat.

"Okay, now you talk." Rinoa's eyes meant business.

The man was calm as he spoke. "My name is Irvine Kinneas. I'm a Seed in Galbadia Garden, we've been watching you for two days now." They shared another look. "It's amazing you're not dead yet. I was sent to greet you, but at the looks of it I guess I'm at your service until things get straightened out."

A silent dialogue took place between Rinoa and Selphie for a second. Each one of their eyes answered and asked questions without ever needing to open their lips. They were so alike, and yet, startlingly different. Irvine noticed first the color of one woman's hair. It was the purest black he'd ever seen, bone straight, and shoulder length. The other woman, in contrast, had rich dark brown locks that bounced about her face as she moved. "I'm Rinoa Hea… er, Caraway, I'm here to see my father." Rinoa removed the dagger from his throat and backed up on her haunches.

"Well then I'm sorry to inform you that your father is away on a mission."

_Oh thank Hyne! No shit, what the Hell… Caraway get your ass back we have a serious problem! _Rinoa stood up quickly and tossed the dagger back to Selphie who caught it with even more precision than Rinoa had. Rinoa reached down and offered her hand to the man who accepted it cautiously.

Rinoa and Selphie glanced sideways at each other before Selphie spoke. "Shit." Both of them then became deathly serious.

"Is there a problem I can help you with?" Irvine brushed himself off.

"It's urgent, I'll need to speak with a commanding officer."

"Oh, that bad? Well Galbadia is currently overseeing some deep sea research, our commanding officer and headmaster are down surveying the ocean floor for possible docking of Garden. There is, however, an available commander from Balamb here… He and a few Seed are here to talk about peace treaties and such. They're just waiting for the head staff to return."

"Ok…"

"Well, how's this, you both come with me back to town and I'll inform the Seed of your urgency."

"Alright, but as soon as possible, we need to speak with this commander." _What the Hell kind of fucked up operation leaves an entire Garden unattended…and then invites another Garden's commander over… these guys are a joke. My father works with them? We're fucked._

"Well I do suggest you eat and drink, you've been traveling for over two days out in there." Irvine stood up and his arm clumsily swung out to point to the town. The tan jacket he was wearing blew open for a second; Rinoa noticed a firearm. "After you…"

Out from behind him he heard a short, high, yelp, and then a shuffle. He twisted to see what it was. Rinoa just put her hand to her face and shook her head in disapproval. Selphie ran over and stood behind her. Irvine just raised and eyebrow as he looked up to the horrified woman.

"I swear it's not what you're thinking Rin!" Selphie got out from behind Rinoa and glanced to the sand. A small head was poking out from it. She gazed at the dune snake as its body lifted further out of the sand. It eyed Selphie and dove back into the sand. Selphie yelped again.

"I guess my idea wasn't as far fetched as Captain Obvious thought." She poked Selphie in the side.

Selphie grumbled and then told Irvine her name.

From there they made their way into town. Irvine led them through the moonlit desert, keeping clear of any hill ledges. He occasionally stole a glance back to check on them, mostly to check on himself. He didn't feel like getting a dagger through the back while helping these women. Actually, he really didn't _ever_ feel like getting a dagger through his back. Something resembling a scabbard caught his eye; it was hanging on the chocobo.


	7. Home Again

* * *

Chapter Six: Home Again

* * *

The city was bright; street lamps lit along the wide roads and at door entrances. Rinoa had grown up here, for the most part of her life. But when she turned fifteen, she and her stepmother moved out into the countryside. With everything she remembered about her home, she could not recall the streets ever being so empty as they were tonight. The chill in the air must have scared everyone away she thought.

"I can take this chocobo into one of the stables if you'd like," he said to Rinoa shortly after entering through the train station.

"Her name is Glint, and that would be just fine, thank you."

"Hey alright. I'm assuming you know where to find the inn? The commander should be staying there. I heard there's a show tonight as well, he'll probably drop by. Uh, I shouldn't be long."

"Thank you again… Irvine was it?" Rinoa nodded her gratitude. They walked in silence to the inn. With every step, Rinoa's nerves fell a little more into her stomach. She hated this city. She hated everything it stood for, and most of all, she hated the man it called General Caraway. She and Selphie took a longer rout around, anything to avoid the mansion she used to call home sweet home.

As soon as they stepped inside, a lovely woman greeted them at the front desk. A thunderous noise was rising from the stairs leading to the lounge. Rinoa bought both of them tickets to the show and they headed down.

The band was playing some jazzy tune Rinoa couldn't place, but it was relaxing her bit by bit.

"Selph, try and keep a low profile, ok?" Worry filled her voice. "Remember why we're here."

"Low profile, yeah, no problem. But just a question… How are we supposed to do that when I see Seifer over there?"

"WHAT!" Rinoa's eyes blasted from one side to the other, "Where, Selphie we can't see him. Shit, we gotta leave, oh…." She tugged on Selphie's arm, but Selphie only continued foreword.

"Oh come on! It's fine, what's the problem?"

"Problem? Problem! It's Seifer that's the problem! He and I, well, you know, and I can't even stand to look at him." Rinoa tore her eyes from Selphie's face and stared at the ground.

"Stop being a pussy! Let's say hi, don't worry, I'll kick his ass if he pulls any shit."

"Sure, I'll be right behind you." _Oh boy, how many years has it been? He'd better not touch me._

Selphie bounced happily over to an empty bar stool and sat. Rinoa just followed her friend wondering how many shots of… well anything alcoholic, she'd need. She took a seat to the right of Selph.

"Selphie, just don't say anything… please!" She cowered low to the table. But just as her hopes sailed high of being undetected, the bartender came over and asked about their drink preferences.

"Hello ladies, what can I get you, something special?" He asked as he cleaned a glass.

"Just a Coors… with lime!" Selphie said loudly. Maybe a little too loudly, because Seifer turned to face them both.

"And you ma'am?" The bartender said cheerfully. Maybe a little too cheerfully, because Rinoa was about to puke her face out onto his bar.

"Uh… Gin. Gin martini, olives, make that two… please." Her stomach dropped and a weak smile came to her lips.

"Oh, hi… Seifer." Disdain dripped from her words, but the ass she knew didn't catch it.

"Look who it is, little miss princess. How's everything? Not too hard for you is it? Still getting your shoes shined and everything?" Seifer took it upon himself to move a seat closer to her.

_Ugh, why do I have to talk to this _asshole

"Of course not, haven't you heard? I moved away from all that, pampering, as you might say."

"Oh, sorry princess, my mistake. So you're doing your own laundry now? That it?" Seifer laughed by himself.

"Your _princess_ is not a _princess_ anymore, and I see you haven't lost the flair in your communication skills." Rinoa took a slug of her martini as it arrived. Her throat burned, but her heart burned more.

"My? My _princess_, ah, aren't we the optimistic one?" Another laugh came before Seifer took a slug of his beer.

"Just shut up Seifer. You're and asshole…"

"I know. And I'm sorry."

"Urg, why don't you take you're fucking apology and stick it-" Rinoa slammed her hand down and started to rise. As she did, a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. Irvine pushed her gently back into her seat.

"Excuse me, Rinoa, is there a problem here?" Irvine glared at Seifer, "While these ladies are here, they are under my care. Leave them alone, why don't you. You're our guest, but believe me, there wouldn't be anyone missing you."

The music stopped and the entire lounge quieted down. A woman padded out onto the stage.

"It's about to start I think!" Selphie whispered to Rinoa, who was too busy being angry to hear her.

"Quistis Trepe, she's a musician that comes up from Balamb every once in a while. Plays piano and sings."

Selphie glanced back at where Irvine was just standing. He was nowhere in sight. She panned the pub and saw him walk up on stage. He whispered into Quistis' ear, or kissed her cheek, it was too far to tell. She watched him walk off stage in a sweat, his face had been drained or all color. When Irvine returned he took the seat next to Rinoa, and waited for Quistis to speak.

"I have just been informed that we have a few new guests from outta town here. Please everyone, give a warm welcoming to Selphie and Rinoa." Quistis waved over to where they were sitting.

_Oh Hell, so much for lying low!_

Rinoa's head immediately spun around. Her black-brown eyes were full of anger. Irvine almost coughed up his drink as he saw the look she was giving.

Quistis settled herself in, fiddling with sheet music and finally starting. The song was one she was quite familiar with: _Eyes On Me._ She blinked as a bead of moisture clouded her vision. The notes were fuzzy and swirling. _I'm about to pass out aren't I? Why this song! _Her senses fuzzed as well, she no longer thought she was sitting. It felt more like floating in space. The words _Under Her Control_ manifested in her mind. Rinoa sat there, stewing with hated, anger, and now sorrow. Her heart twisted as she remembered back to a time her parents were together. Her mother, Julia, taught her that song. Sitting on that exact stage, playing that exact piano, Rinoa watched herself map out the notes on the keyboard.

_A melodic droning fled from the keys. Her fingers grazed each key as if friction was no longer present. She quickly looked up at the sheet music for guidance, and noticed that the notes were bleeding onto the piano. The entire paper began pulsing, fibers lifted from it sprouting red blood flows onto the ivory keys. The fleeting sounds became high, then were accompanied with a low sharp hum. Rinoa pounded the keys with a wild eye. In the background a hollow hymn resounded, echoing and slamming into her ears, deafening her with an explosive emptiness. She hit the keyboard harder; mashing her nails deep into the ivory keys, denting them in places. She gazed again at the sheet music, nothing remained of it, only a bubbling cauldron of black gunk that purred in a red lust. She looked back at the keys, happily bouncing in her stool. The room around spun with every climaxing note. From Rinoa's finger tips a dark liquid seeped. With every key hit her nails lifted from her fingers, tearing from the sticky flesh. A fountain of blood spewed from each tip, soaking the ivory deeper until they were soggy with muck. The swamped keys were hit even more lively now. A smile played on her face. She smashed her fingers deeper into the keys, producing a more intense sound. Her fingers pounded endlessly harder down. Skin lifted from them, melting away as a flaming heat hit her. The frictionless surface quickly became muddy, and removing her fingers from the sludge was more difficult. Her flesh tore away revealing bone as it was sucked into the sludge mess of blood. Shards of white bone flew up from the mess, chipping away at the piano and Rinoa's arms. Each superheated blade cut cleanly into her shoulders, chest, and neck. The last notes rang into her head, and she hit forcefully the low-pitched area. Rinoa flung her head foreword, ramming it into the disgusting mass, she felt her skull crack. Red soaked bone flew up; her eyes got the full force of on piece. The landing crushed her nose and her vision went out. Just as she went forth to strike again…_

"_Very good Rinoa, You're a natural!" Julia petted her young daughter's head proudly._

"_Really mama? Am I that good? I want to be as good as you someday!"_

Quistis began the song Eyes On Me.


	8. The Dream

**_Chapter Seven: The Dream_**

* * *

"THE DREAM!" Rinoa shot up from the bed. After the show she had gone to bed early. _What was it that Seifer and I talked about? Did I play the show? What the Hell just happened…? What's that sound?! _Rinoa hurriedly got out of bed at the creaking sound.

---

"_Well I'm happy things are going as wonderful as they are for you, Seifer, but I have some news. Think you could visit Selphie and I after your shift is up? We'll probably be at the inn. I'll let the clerk know about your invitation."_

"_Okay, I should be off at 10 o'clock sharp. I'll go find you then, but Rinoa, is everything alright?" Seifer leaned forward._

_Rinoa began to fiddle with her hands, but stopped immediately as she glanced down. She leaned into the table on her elbows and motioned Seifer closer. Her words came softly, yet the distress was evident. "I think not, let's not discuss it here. Please, not one word more."_

_Seifer nodded subtly and fell back into his routine. He gathered himself up and went to serve the awaiting customers. His head felt weightless, almost to the point of losing consciousness, but the dread soon overpowered all other feeling, and Seifer was left to worry. He raised his hand to his mouth to cover a yawn._

_In the distance Rinoa heard herself say something. She wasn't quite sure what it had been, and she really didn't care at all. At that moment she had lost all interest in her friend, and became completely engrossed with a uniformed man who had just traipsed into the bar. Someone moved beside her and she turned. Irvine walked over to the man and saluted him. Words were said but the crowd was too loud to hear them. Just when Rinoa thought she was going to lose the chance to get in on the conversation and talk to the man, Irvine pointed straight at her. Rinoa quickly turned around and tried to blend in with the bar table._ Dammit, why can't I be made of granite!

_"Rinoa we have company! Look!"_

_The uniformed SeeD man followed behind Irvine as they made way over to Rinoa and Selphie. It was then that Rinoa almost died._ I'm going to die…

_"Excuse me, but I heard you two are from Dollet City?" The man spoke in a deep mysterious tone. It was crisp and clear. It filled her ears with music and yet pained her. She wanted to answer but she remembered who she was with._

_"Hello there Mr. SeeD!" Selphie had beaten her again._

_"Yes, Hello." His gaze moved to Rinoa. Again, she almost died. "I have just gotten news on Dollet and would like a time lot with you and your friend. It is very important, I think you might already know what I'm getting at."_

_"Yes, of course. At 10…" Rinoa interrupted Selphie._

_"Who exactly are you sir?" She cursed herself for speaking._ You are a moron, Rinoa. Just give the man what he wants. He may be able to help you!

_"I am Commander Squall Leonhart of Balamb, I'm an Elite Garden SeeD. This is Irvine, a SeeD under my command. I was informed that you two came here from Dollet City."_

_"Okay…." She became angry with herself again._

_"I would like a talk with you about it ladies."_

_"If another onlooker does not disturb you, then tonight at 10:00 in room… well we don't have reservations yet but just ask for me at the desk. Seifer will be there as well." Rinoa now hated herself. She no longer was angry, or enraged, but she truly hated herself. _Okay, either talk to him or don't. You just invited him to your room. But It's Selphie's and my room! Oh she won't mind… no. Anyway he's probably going to want to know about the explosion, maybe he knows about it! I need to know more! _I'll do anything… If he asked her if she was the one to start the first sorceress war, she would have gladly fallen to the floor, hands up, and pleaded guilty._ Yes, I did it… I did_. Her thoughts came back to the man. She planned on avenging her people and knew she needed this man's help._

_"SeeD will be lodging you and your friend tonight. 10.00 o'clock will do just fine. In the time being, Zell here will be your guard." Squall side stepped to introduce Zell. He was mashing something into his mouth just before he straightened himself._

_"Yes Sir Commander Leonhart," Zell barked with a salute. He gulped hard and saluted again._

_"Good, now the room is 2F-3, everything will be paid for by SeeD. By the looks of it, you will need to get cleaned up a bit, so feel free to use the facilities. You and your friend, and Seifer, can expect us at 10 o'clock sharp." The commander's lips got tight._

_"Uhm, thank you."_

_"Zell!"_

_"Yes Commander?"_

_"Get yourself a drink. On second thought, get me one too." Squall took the seat where Irvine had been before. He looked over at Rinoa and Selphie and seemed to understand what they had been through. _

_The scouts Squall had sent out had been three days late back to Timber. As reported, all of their machina had been destroyed, and their other transportation had been demolished as well. The men had been sent all around the Galbadian continent to secure the cities and towns against hostilities. In Dollet, a small battalion had been sent out. Only the beach team returned. They described a flash of light and then a shock wave. One man was able to confirm a sighting in the distance. He reported a black chocobo and two young women. _

"_Get those two a beer as well please, they're going to need it."_

_In a small voice Rinoa thanked him. Although she was not much of a drinker, she accepted his offer._

"_Oh, yes I almost forgot. Give this to the desk attendant," He scrawled his signature and room number on a napkin and handed it to her. _

"_I would like to inquire about your names now," Squall said and took a gulp of his beer._

"_My name is Rinoa Heartilly, and my friend," she shook Selphie so she would turn and say hello, "My friend is Selphie Tilmitt."_

"_Nice to meet ya! I've heard so much about SeeD. But no one said anything about their commander. Is it true that all the Gardens are mobile? That would be so cool, cause I used to live in Trabia, I went to Garden there! I never even knew it was mobile! My friend went on to become a SeeD. I tried, but everyone said I didn't have good listening skills, or something. They said," Selphie cleared her throat and mimicked a male Garden staff member, " 'Selphie Tilmitt, you have completed the written exam and have passed with a 90. However, your actions in the Field Exam illustrated differently. You fail with a SeeD rank of 3. This is unacceptable for a mercenary…' blah blah yak yak."_

"_Yeah, well you listened to that at least."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Selphie, you are hopeless. Slug that down before I confiscate it," Rinoa peered over to the commander's beer, and then took a sip of her's. The wall clock glowed 8:58. One more hour until she was to wretch her guts out onto the commander's, and Seifer's lap._

_By this time the bar had quieted down quite a lot. _Guess Timber isn't a party animal town?_ Most of the older people were shuffling out and the drunks were staggering behind. Selphie found it odd that at only 9 o'clock, most everyone was gone. Her patience was slowly running low and she needed to get up and do something before she went mad. Seifer had disappeared into the back rooms, and Rinoa was quietly sipping a beer. All of a sudden, Selphie shot up off her stool walked to a table and then back to her stool to sit again. _

"_Selph, I know you are trying to get my attention, so just say it." Rinoa pushed her beer to the other side of the counter to be dispensed of._

"_Rin I am going crazier than you. I need to do something, and fast. I need to…. I need to blow something up!" Selphie screamed the last part of her whining. This got Squall's and Irvine's attention._

"_Sorry Mr. Commander Leonhart, Squall, Sir." Selphie put her head on the counter and closed her eyes. A hand touched her hair and she flattened her cheek to the surface to look at the person with one eye._

"_Tired?" Irvine asked as he stroked her head._

"_Me tired? Zell's the one almost falling over in his stool. I'm not sure he's going to make it to 10."_

"_He'll do fine. Right Zelly?" Irvine took his other hand and pushed on Zell's shoulder causing him to almost fall onto the floor._

"_Zelly! I… You're a… ah!" Zell gave up quickly and opted for the middle finger._

"_Whatever you say there Zelly." A grumble is heard from Zell as he smacks his head onto the counter._

_Squall gave the death look to Irvine._

"_I think I'll go take a nap, just knock when you get there… please excuse me, I don't mean to be rude." Rinoa slid off the stool and began walking to the door. "Thank you for the drink." She slugged to the door and exited._

"_I'll be leaving as well. You men probably want to talk about things… manly." Selphie left in step with Rinoa. They walked a few meters apart, and when Rinoa closed the door, Selphie opened it._

_---_

"THE DREAM!" Rinoa shot up from the bed. After the show she had gone to bed early. _What's that noise?_ Rinoa hurriedly got out of bed at the creaking sound.

"Are you okay Rin!?" Selphie came running into the room from the door. "Did you fall! What's wrong!"

"I just woke up from a nightmare Selphie, that's all." Rinoa massaged her head.

"… Rin, I didn't know you sleep walked! That's so cool!"

"…ugh… just shut up Selphie, I'm not in the mood."

Rinoa's head hurt, and the pounding hollow hymn repeated itself.

---

…_a motionless pallet of_

_whirling loneliness…_

…_thick with moisture_

_that weighed on my every step…_

_---_

Rinoa cupped her hands over her face and almost screamed. She supposed the alcohol was playing some games on her mind. She was never a heavy drinker. Yes, it was the alcohol.


	9. Between The Ends

_**Chapter Eight: Between the Ends**_

* * *

"THE DREAM!." Rinoa shot up from the bed. Rinoa was in a deep puddle of moisture, her body was frozen to the point of shivering and vomiting, and the cooling sweat beads were slowly crystallizing onto her flesh. Her breath was irregular and she heard a drumming from her left. Attempting to focus her eyes, a blurry shape catapulted out of a nearby entrance and bombed down a narrow passageway heading toward her. Rinoa screamed and twisted out of the place she believed to be a bed.

"Rinoa! Rinoa, are you hurt? I'm sorry if I startled you. What just happened?" Squall was the figure chasing after her, she relaxed into the carpeted floor and called for him. "Rin, I'm sorry if I upset you, I was only making a half a turkey sandwich, I didn't mean to not ask you, you were asleep…" Rinoa's mind reeled. Whichever level of consciousness was responsible for reasoning kicked in and she spoke.

"A sandwich?" Granted it wasn't much.

"I'm sorry Rin." Squall stooped and picked her up and sat her back on the bed.

"A sandwich? Why would I be angry about a sandwich?" Rinoa's own bodily feelings escaped her.

"Rin, what happened?" Squall ran his hand over her brow whipping away the wetness. "Your cloths are sopping wet. Did you have another nightmare?" Squall got up from the bed and opened the closet and retrieved a bathrobe. "You did didn't you?" He wrapped the robe around Rinoa's shoulders and tried warming her. His hand stung slightly from her chill.

"I… I…don't know what I had." Rinoa was now shivering in her chilling clothes, she was shivering out of control.

"I'll go run a tub for you, you need to warm up." Squall headed toward the bathroom, but was stopped by Rinoa's voice.

"Squall, what time is it?"

"It's 6:30 in the evening. Rinoa, are you alright?"

Rinoa shook a bit before getting up. She took the bathrobe off and hung it back up. "Of course I'm alright! It was only a nightmare, Squall." Rinoa let a small laugh out. She was shaking, but not because of any chill. _I could have sworn that the clock read 10:00…_

"I'm gonna go run your bath now…" Squall went into the bathroom and turned on the faucet. He took out a few bath beads from a bottle and mixed them into the water. They swirled in the current in a sparkling wind. From above a cabinet he brought a bottle of lavender bath bubble mix, he too added that to the water. The tub was small and soon was almost overflowing with a soapy-bubbly concoction of water. He dipped his finger through the mass of slippery spheres and felt the water; it was just perfect.

It was then that Rinoa came into the room. She thanked Squall and told him that his sandwich was made.

"Uhm, could you keep the door ajar, you know… just in case?" Rinoa's eyes slanted up and her lips pulled as well.

"Of course, just, holler if you need anything, please don't hesitate." Squall turned around.

"Oh and Squall, you think you could brush my hair after I clean it?"

"My love, anything for you. Just holler."

"Err… Squall? Could you ah.." Rinoa waved her hand and shook her head in nevermind. Squall bowed playfully and skirted out of the room, leaving the door open a crack. "Could you stay forever?" Rinoa's question was not heard nor answered. She disrobed and dunked under the surface. The water soothed her body, and she dozed off to sleep


	10. Tears And Fears

**_Chapter Nine: Tears and Fears_**

* * *

"Hey, uhm, what time is it?" Rinoa's question puzzled Selphie. They both had _just_ left the pub. Selphie came up to Rinoa slowly, almost stepping soundlessly on the carpet. She stopped on the other side of the bed, not too close, hesitating.

"Uh, about ten, just a few minutes longer." Selphie took a step around the bed, again not moving very quickly. She had the notion of something happening if she moved too swiftly, something Rinoa might do out of fear. Of course she had no idea, but Rinoa being insane and all, she could never be too cautious.

"Ten, I thought it was earlier than that, how long have I been asleep?" Rinoa sat on the bed and rubbed her face again.

"To be precise, seven seconds…?"

"Selphie, quit the games, I had a nightmare and just woke up. I swear I left that pub earlier than seven seconds ago!" with a flare of red anger she punched the bed like an animal.

"Just, calm down. Come on, it's nothing just cool it. You're scaring me. And you are just spooking yourself." She too sat down on the bed, Indian style. "You left the pub just a few minutes before ten, and when you got into the room, must have passed out, you did drink a lot. I was walking behind you to the room, ya know, making sure you didn't hurt yourself." Selphie paused. "The door closed when you went in, It took me just about seven seconds to re-open the door, and then you shot up out of the bed screaming, 'THE DREAM'. That's all. It was probably a minor faint." Selphie reached across the bed and lightly laid her hand on Rinoa's shoulder. She squeezed before continuing. "Look, those SeeD should be here momentarily along with Seifer. Go and wash your face off, you look like the dead."

Rinoa slid off the bed easily enough but when walking away, the loose blankets caught on her booted foot and she ended up being dragged face down onto the floor. She whimpered. Selphie quickly went to her, picked her up, and brought her into the lavatory. These actions were unfamiliar to her, the softer side of Selphie was rarely shown. Given the circumstances, however, she was Rinoa's best friend, and the only confidant who could sympathize with her feelings. She stayed in the room and handed Rinoa a face cloth.

---

A faint rapping came from the doorway and Selphie went and opened it. Seifer excused himself as he walked in, he was followed by the SeeD missionaries. Zell and Irvine came in much in the same fashion, not as direct at Seifer had, but determined enough to make themselves noticed, Selphie turned around to make sure Rinoa was doing well. Squall stepped in last, his walk was one a sturdy man would have, one that almost shook the walls with a frightening force. Rinoa felt the pressure as he came in, this was official business, not some get together spin the bottle game night. Rinoa and Selphie were both prepared to speak anything these SeeD asked of them.

The hotel room was bare, the bed and curtains were plain gray and the walls painted an egg white. The carpet was rough and also egg white. The only furniture was a writing desk and one nightstand. There was one chair in the corner. Rinoa took a seat on the floor as gracefully as she could manage. Zell, Irvine, and Seifer took their places as well. Seifer sat on one side of Rinoa while Selphie took her on the other side. The other two sat next to each other leaving seifer's side open.

From behind them a rusting came, Squall was rifeling through a few papers. Once he found what ever he was in search of, he took an uncomfortable seat next to Seifer. Rinoa noticed a grimace as he sat. She guessed it was one of two things, knee aches, or Seifer aches. Out of everyone in the group Zell seemed the most comfortable, he was the only one who had not gotten wind of the mess Rinoa and Selphie were in.

"Okay," Squall got straight into business, "As Ms. Tilmitt and Ms. Heartilly know, there was some sort of explosive disturbance in Dollet not too long ago. My scouts have reported this," He shuffled his papers about once more, "an explosion of some sort resulting from an unknown source. The bomb, or whatever was set off, sent out a massive shock wave, soon after an immense dust covering." Squall shuffled his papers again and retrieved a pen from his shirt pocket. "This was the most vague report I have ever had to read. What I'm here to find out is if you two know anything else of it. My scouts reported back just as soon as possible, leaving too much in question." The commander took out two slips of paper and handed one to each of the women, he then asked them to read it. "This form mainly states that you will be under the command of SeeD. Whatever you say can and will be scrutinized, please don't falsify your responses, give as much information as you know, and you are not under any circumstances permitted to speak of this meeting or anything that is said from now on to anyone but myself or anyone under my own command." Squall almost look out of breath.

Rinoa and Selphie both felt it necessary to do whatever it took to get to the bottom of the massacre so without hesitation they signed their names. They handed the paper back to Squall, who scanned over their signatures and dates before noticing something odd.

"Ms. Heartilly, you have signed your name as Caraway." Squall flipped the paper over for Rinoa to see.

"Yes, Commander. My legal name is under Caraway, Heartilly was my mother's name."

"I see." Squall retracted the paper and filed it away with Selphie's.

Rinoa shifted, she felt twenty times more uncomfortable now than she did. Selphie clasped her hand over her friend's and squeezed.

"Alright, now, this is going to feel more like an interrogation than anything else, if at any time you feel as though you are unable to answer truthfully or knowledgeably tell me ahead of time. Our discussion will be recorded when you are ready." Squall took out a hand held tape recorder from his back pocket. Rinoa nodded and Squall began.

"Where were the two of you at the time of the explosion?"

Rinoa took the initiative and spoke, "Selphie and I were at the waterfront with my chocobo, Glint." Rinoa kept her answers simple and precise.

"Alright, and before you were there, were you in town?"

"Yes, I just finished buying a loaf of bread and found Selpihe before we headed out."

Squall sat straight as a board. "You didn't perhaps notice anything strange that morning? Any strangers in town, odd noises, a particular smell? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"Oh no, the town was bustling like always, nothing strange about that. The air smelt of baking goods and the folks there were folks that were always there. Nothing strange Commander." Rinoa was slowly getting more comfortable with the situation.

"Hmm, so, by the time of the explosion you both were out of the area. My patrols told me that the path to the ocean was a long windy and forgotten towpath, you must have left late that morning? At what time do you suppose you left the town and what time the blast was heard?"

"Well, it was very early, no later than five in the morning when we started out into the woods to the beach. When we got there it must have been about six, and that's about when the blast came…" Rinoa's mind became faint.

"My patrols told me the time was just before noon that morning when the explosion rattled the earth."

"Sir, Rinoa has a tendency of being late that early in the morning, she might have thought it was an earlier time that it really was. I will say that she was over a half hour late." Selphie began defending Rinoa's answer.

"Still, only a half an hour, that does not compensate for the time differences. I'll review this later, if you hold fast on your apparent times then I will take it up with my patrol after this." Squall made a mental note to check the two woman's backgrounds in case of insanity. "Okay, they also report seeing two women, you I suspect, leaving the beach and heading back into the forest. This is the time that they left Dollet and reported back to me. So from here in, I have to rely on every detail you can pull out." Squall leaned foreword. "Tell me everything you remember about the walk back into the forest. Anything, the smallest bit helps."

"Uh, well, it was foggy, really foggy. And cold, it was unimaginable how cold it was." Rinoa stopped suddenly, she knew what was coming soon, a dreaded question that could not be avoided. "Well, there was no wind at all, and the black fog was thick, it was hard to breath. I don't know, it was quiet, kind of scary. But the most noticeable thing of all was the stench. Gross." Rinoa avoided the detailed description, hoping the Commander would not catch on to her.

"And what was this stench?" Squall checked the tape, around five minutes left.

Selphie shot into the conversation, almost too loudly. "It smelled like rotten blood."

This comment sent Squall into silence for a second, this was a good confirmation of a messy explosion. "Do continue."

"Well it was… disgusting. Like that one day I burnt my hair with an iron and it smelled wicked raunchy, except this was ten times worse. I really don't know how to describe it, I've never experienced anything like that before."

Squall was just about to speak right when Rinoa spoke.

"I've smelled it before. Commander I'm sure you are familiar with death in your career? Well, picture a body torn to pieces sitting in the sun baking for hours, then multiply that stench by one hundred. That was the stench, completely." Rinoa shuddered, he was getting closer to asking that one question.

"So, it was rancid?"

"Of course! It filled your nose with the most toxic fumes imaginable and refilled them with each inhale, neither Selphie nor I could hold our vomit for long. I don't know about Selph, but my eyes were watering and stinging, I could almost feel a filthy film of bodily sludge coat my body."

Two minutes left.

"And, when you got into town? What did you find?"

He just hit home.

"Hmm?" Squall inquired once again, watching the time tick away. Neither spoke a word. Squall scanned the group, both women were bleary eyed and fear stricken. Seifer gave a reassuring pat on Rinoa's shoulder. The two SeeD sat completely still, starring into Squall's eyes. He could feel their gaze penetrating his heart screaming, W_hy did you have to ask that? Didn't you know it was going to be painful? You are an idiot! _But they weren't saying anything, just starring. Squall cleared his throat. "Perhaps, we can continue this later on?"

No one said a word.

"Until then, you two are under the protection of SeeD, Zell, Irvine, and myself shall be bunking in the joining room." Squall swiftly stood up and got out of that room as fast as he could go. At his own door he stopped and put a hand to his forehead. The tape clicked finished. He swore it finished earlier, sometime during his self-hate session. He dismissed it and went into the room. From behind the wall he could hear mumbles.

"Rin, I'm sorry…" Selphie grabbed onto Rinoa and cried freely.

"I am also sorry," Zell squirmed the words out, "Squall has a knack for asking too many questions at all the wrong times." Zell exited the room, Seifer gave a meaningless wave and followed.

Irvine crunched down to the women's level and out a hand on each of their shoulders. He tightened his grip, almost massaging their joints. "I'm sorry for your loss." Irvine had picked up immediately on the situation. "Please, get some sleep…" Irvine also left, closing the door gently.


	11. Squall Leonhart

_**Chapter Ten: Squall Leonhart

* * *

**_

Rinoa opened her eyes. She felt suspended. All around her body a warm liquid substance caressed her skin. The warmth was welcomed with her open arms. At her nose a tickle was registered, Rinoa did not want to open her eyes, a light melody played in her head and she felt comfortable for the first time in nights. Her arm moved. A sloshing sound hit her eardrum, and she remembered she was in the bathtub. Rinoa sighed into the left over bubbles. She holstered her self up into a sitting position and looked around.

Squall sat on the other side of the bathroom, he was on the toilet seat watching her. The tub might have been small, but the sides sloped high, shielding her body from his view nicely.

"Squall, I never hollered," said Rinoa with a side smile, a twinkle in her eye.

"I didn't hear anything in here, so I came in to see what was up. You fell asleep, I just stayed here, to you know… uhm… make sure you didn't drown in the tub I filled so lovingly for you." Squall itched the back of his head nervously, Rinoa saw a hint of pink in his cheeks. As uncomfortable Rinoa was at this moment, being naked in a tub and all, she could tell that Squall's embarrassment was double her own. She could play with this.

"Squall, could you get my back? I can't seem to reach it." Rinoa turned around with her back facing him, over her shoulder she smiled sweetly.

"Uh, yeah, I can do that…" Squall fidgeted before he got up. He swore to himself that his knees would buckle any moment. Instead of buckling his lower leg shot through with a sting. Squall almost toppled into the tub but caught himself on the rim. He squeezed his eyes shut as to not _accidentally_ see anything he wasn't offered to see. The gentlemen like gesture caused Rinoa to chortle.

"What, I'm not a comedian…" Squall's face flushed fully this time.

"So? Doesn't mean I can't laugh at you!" Rinoa handed him a sponge from over her shoulder. It was already dipped in the soapy water and ready for use.

Squall starred at the dead animal he was holding, contemplating how he was to go about doing this. He had never done anything of this sort, and he felt that it needed a certain finesse, something soothing, and he just wasn't good at being soothing. He out his hands on the tub edge and got onto his knees, all the while water was being squished out from the sponge onto his jeans. _Well great._ He examined the sponge once more, it seemed safe enough. _I wonder what kind of mechanics go into the formation of this thing… oh just do it Squall, stop wasting time! _He leaned foreword and stopped suddenly. There was a flowing black barrier covering Rinoa's back. Squall gulped silently and removed the delicate strands of hair from her shoulders. Rinoa shook as a chill ran through her. Squall tensed up. He was rapidly stepping into uncharted domains, and soon would be his judgement day.

"Squall, are you alright back there? You don't need to do it, I can reach, I was only kidding around." Rinoa began to turn. Squall's strong hand took hold of her shoulder, he gently moved her back facing away. The contact was like lightning.

"No, Rin, I can do this."

He could, and did. This act marked the rebirth of Squall Leonhart.


End file.
